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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: NIKE, Applied Materials, Square, Boston Scientific and Petrobras

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – April 22, 2021 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: NIKE, Inc. (NKE - Free Report) , Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT - Free Report) , Square, Inc. (SQ - Free Report) , Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX - Free Report) and Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras (PBR - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Top Research Reports for Nike, Applied Materials and Square

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including NIKE, Applied Materials (AMAT - Free Report) , and Square (SQ - Free Report) . These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.

You can see all of today’s research reports here >>>

Shares of NIKE have modestly lagged the Zacks Shoes and Retail Apparel industry in the last one-year period (+45.7% vs. +48%) as a result of lower revenues in the wholesale business and NIKE-owned stores due to the pandemic-led disruptions.

Nonetheless, the top and bottom-line improved year over year in the third quarter, while earnings beat estimates for the third time. Furthermore, NIKE brand’s digital sales improved in double digits across North America, Greater China, and APLA, while experiencing growth in triple digits in EMEA.

Despite the uncertainty regarding the impacts of the pandemic, management is confident of its earlier-stated fiscal 2021 view. It continues to anticipate low to mid-teens revenue growth for fiscal 2021.

(You can read the full research report on NIKE here >>>)

Applied Materials shares have gained +113.4% over the last six months against the Zacks Semiconductor Equipment - Wafer Fabrication industry’s gain of +74.3%. The Zacks analyst believes that Applied Materials is being driven by strong momentum across Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services.

Further, solid demand for silicon in several applications across various markets remains a tailwind. Additionally, growing momentum among long-term service agreements is contributing well.

Meanwhile, increased customer spending in foundry and logic on the back of rising need for specialty nodes in automotive, power, 5G rollout, IoT, communications and image sensor markets, is a major positive. However, mounting expenses are a major concern. Also, rising competition poses risk to the company’s market position.

(You can read the full research report on Applied Materials here >>>)

Shares of Square have gained +12.1% in the past three months against the Zacks Internet Software industry’s loss of -14.1%. The Zacks analyst believes that Square is benefiting from strong Cash App engagement and its expanding customer base.

Additionally, the company’s strengthening momentum across sellers and online channels, and growing card-not-present GPV are expected to remain major tailwinds. Moreover, robust online products, such as Square Online Store, Invoices, Virtual Terminal and eCommerce API are likely to accelerate the GPV growth in the near term.

However, uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic remain concerns. Higher investments and increasing product development expenses might hurt margins. Rising competition and foreign exchange headwinds remain concerns.

(You can read the full research report on Square here >>>)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Boston Scientific and Petrobras.

Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2021

In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 best buy-and-hold tickers for the entirety of 2021?

Last year's 2020 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio returned gains as high as +386.8%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys.

AccessZacks Top 10 Stocks for 2021 today >>

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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